and a barren, icy earth; nothing would maintain its present form,
the fibril of the most delicate flower, as well as the trunk of the
oak, would be destroyed; it, moreover, serves as a medium for
the conveyance of moisture to plants, coming down in the shape of
dew from heaven, and blessing the plant beneath; moisture also
exists in an insensible condition in the atmosphere, and in this
state conduces to the health and growth of vegetation, even in the
dryest weather a large quantity is always present and serves
most important purposes. The importance of the dew and of
the insensible moisture of the air may be estimated by the im-
mense quantity of water which it represents. It has been cal-
culated that only half of the rain that falls in the great St. Law-
rence basin, passes of over Niagara Falls, the balance escapes
in the form of vapor and is scattered by the winds all over the
earth; which being condensed would make a river as large as
the Niagara. It also serves as a conductor of electricity, whose
influence upon vegetable, as well as animal life, future researches
will have to develop. It may be asked of what use is all this ?—
Let us know the nature of the blessings which surround us; let
us search into all the ways by which Providence contributes to
our happiness, and whilst that knowledge will improve our physi-
cal condition, it will ennoble our moral faculties by directing them
to Him " from whom all blessings flow."

So far in relation to the physical benefits of the Atmosphere,
but there are others which are aesthetic; it transmits and it con-
veys sound. Without it no sweet music could strike upon the
listening ear, no words of love could stir the still depths of the
heart, there could be no voice for prayer, none for praise. The
melody of bells, with all their changeful voices, could no longer
speak to the human soul, and all the sweet associations that
hover around accustomed sounds would be in bleak desolation.
No organ tones could awake devotion, no choral voices could
ascend for mercy to a throne of grace; silenced alike the wail-
ings of the Miserere and the exultant harmonies of the Te Deum.

I now proceed to give a short description of the different sub-
stances which are necessary to vegetable life.

ORGANIC AND INORGANIC MATTER.

Upon an examination of any or all of the organized products
of the earth, there are invariably found two kinds of bodies suffi-
ciently distinct in their general and special properties as to be ar-
ranged under two separate and distinct classes, the one of these
classes includes Organic, the other Inorganic matter; the former
having its form easily and rapidly changed by heat, or by the slow

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